PHOENIX – One of the biggest surprises in the 2025 NBA draft was Duke’s Khaman Maluach falling in the lottery. The 7’2 center was a projected top-five prospect, with many draft boards have him falling to the 8th pick at the latest. However, the 18-year-old fell past all his projections and landed in the lap of the Phoenix Suns with the 10th pick. General manager Brian Gregory and his staff didn’t expect Maluach to be available at 10, especially with them trading for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams a few minutes beforehand.
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Jun 10, 2025; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns general manager Brian Gregory during an introductory press conference at the Verizon 5g Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Maluach falling to Phoenix seemed to be luck at first, but has now appeared to possibility be orchestrated by agent Rich Paul in a new video showing him talking to Suns owner Mat Ishbia.
Paul talking to Suns Ishbia about landing Maluach:
Paul mentioned that Phoenix was his and Maluach’s first choice, much to the delight of Ishbia, with him saying he was going to “make some calls” to make him fall to 10th overall. The 44-year-old agent represents the top stars in the NBA, including Lebron James, and is known as one of the best in the league for delivering to his clients. Paul likely told teams like the Raptors, Nets, and others that Maluach had no interest in playing for them, leading to him falling to the Suns.
Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Khaman Maluach stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the tenth pick by the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Suns got a huge break of getting one of the best prospects in the draft with the help of Paul working behind the scenes. The addition of Maluach to this roster brings a lot of excitement for the potential of Phoenix’s defensive potential in 2025.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
